Vehicle battery tray having tub-based component

ABSTRACT

A battery tray for an electric vehicle includes a tub component that has a floor portion and a perimeter wall portion that integrally extends upward around a peripheral edge of the floor portion to border a battery containment area of the tub component. The tub component may include a plurality of cross member portions that integrally interconnect with the floor portion and the perimeter wall portion so as to span laterally across the battery containment area to divide the battery containment area into separate compartments. A support structure of the battery tray may have an elongated member coupled at an exterior side of each of opposing longitudinal sections of the perimeter wall portion of the tub component.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. nonprovisionalpatent application Ser. No. 17/113,968, filed Dec. 7, 2020, which is aContinuation Application of U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser.No. 15/980,249, filed May 15, 2018, which claims benefit and priorityunder 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No.62/506,950, filed May 16, 2017 and U.S. provisional application Ser. No.62/643,345, filed Mar. 15, 2018, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle battery supporttrays and structures, and more particularly to structural components andprotective enclosures for concealing and protecting vehicle electroniccomponents and batteries, such as battery packs or modules or the likefor electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Electric and hybrid electric vehicles are typically designed to locateand package battery modules on the vehicle in a manner that protects thebatteries from damage when driving in various climates and environments,and also that protects the batteries from different types of impacts. Itis also fairly common for vehicle frames to locate batteries in aportion of the frame or sub-structure of the vehicle, such as betweenthe axles and near the floor of the vehicle, which can distribute theweight of the batteries across the vehicle frame and establish a lowcenter of gravity for the vehicle.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a battery tray for an electric vehicle,such as an all-electric or hybrid electric vehicle, where the batterytray has a tub component that may provide a perimeter wall around abattery containment area of the battery tray. The tub component may beformed or molded to provide an interior surface of the batterycontainment area that is sealed and resistant to leaks or penetration ofgases or liquids, so to protect the batteries or battery modulescontained in the battery tray. To support the weight of the batteries orbattery modules and to provide structure configured for impact energymanagement, among other functions, the tub component may further includea separate support structure and may also or alternatively includeintegral structural features that are formed as a single piece with thetub component. Such integral structural features of the tub componentmay reduce the number of overall components used to make the batterytray and the associated connection and attachment points of suchadditional components that can be a risk of potential leaks orpenetrations.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery tray for anelectric vehicle includes a tub component that has a floor portion and aperimeter wall portion that integrally extends upward around aperipheral edge of the floor portion to border a battery containmentarea of the tub component. A support structure may have an elongatedmember coupled at an exterior side of each of opposing longitudinalsections of the perimeter wall portion of the tub component. Also, thetub component may include a plurality of cross member portions thatintegrally interconnect with the floor portion and the perimeter wallportion so as to span laterally across the battery containment area todivide the battery containment area into separate compartments.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a battery trayfor an electric vehicle includes a tub component that has a floorportion and a perimeter wall portion that integrally extends upwardaround a peripheral edge of the floor portion to border a batterycontainment area of the tub component. The tub component may alsoinclude a plurality of cross member portions that each integrallyinterconnect with the floor portion and the perimeter wall portion so asto sub-divide the battery containment area into separate batterycompartments. At least one of the cross member portions of the tubcomponent may include a forward wall section and a rearward wallsection, which each provide an interior surface of adjacent compartmentsof the battery containment area.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a batterytray for an electric vehicle includes a tub component that has a floorportion and a perimeter wall portion that integrally extends upwardaround a peripheral edge of the floor portion to border a batterycontainment area. The tub component may include a plurality of crossmember portions that integrally interconnect with the floor portion andopposing sides of the perimeter wall portion. The battery tray may alsoinclude a support structure that has an elongated member coupled at anexterior side of each of opposing longitudinal sections of the perimeterwall portion of the tub component. Further, the perimeter wall portionof the tub component have a flange that protrudes outward at theopposing longitudinal sections of the perimeter wall portion. A covermay attach at the flange of the tub component to enclose an upperopening of the battery containment area.

The battery tray of the present disclosure may provide a tub componentthat lines at least a portion of the interior of a battery containmentarea for protecting battery modules held in the battery tray. Such a tubcomponent may provide structural support the battery tray, such that asupport structure or frame may be undersize or lightened or eliminatedto allow the tub component to provide a portion or fraction of theoverall desired load support capability of the battery tray. Thecontainment area of the battery tray may also be sealed with a coveraround an upper edge of the tub component to enclose the battery modulesin the battery tray, such as with a cover that attaches at an upperportion or flange of the tub component.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of thepresent disclosure will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a battery tray at a mounting locationon a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of a battery tray having a coverexploded away to show battery modules in the battery containment area ofthe battery tray;

FIG. 3 is an exploded, upper perspective view of the battery tray shownin FIG. 2 , showing the battery modules exploded from the tub componentof the battery tray;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional, upper perspective view of the battery trayshown in FIG. 2 with the cross section taken centrally along a length ofthe battery tray;

FIG. 4A is an exploded, lower perspective view of the section of thebattery tray shown in FIG. 4 , showing the tub component exploded awayfrom the support structure;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the battery tray shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 5A is a top view of a portion the battery tray shown in FIG. 5 ,taken at the area marked as VA in FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the battery tray shown in FIG. 5with the cross section taken at line VB-VB shown in FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the battery tray shown in FIG. 5with the cross section taken at line VC-VC shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 is an upper perspective view of an additional embodiment of abattery tray having a cover exploded away to show the battery modules inthe battery containment area;

FIG. 7 is an upper perspective view of yet an additional embodiment of abattery tray having a cover removed to show the battery modules in thebattery containment area;

FIG. 8 is an exploded, cross-sectional, upper perspective view of thebattery tray shown in FIG. 6 with the cross section taken centrallyalong a length of the battery tray;

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional, upper perspective view of the battery trayshown in FIG. 8 , showing some of the battery modules removed from thetub component of the battery tray;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a rearward end portion ofthe battery tray shown in FIG. 8 ;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the battery tray shown in FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 11 is an exploded, cross-sectional, upper perspective view of anadditional embodiment of a battery tray, showing the cross section takencentrally along a length of the battery tray;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a rearward end portionof the battery tray shown in FIG. 11 ;

FIG. 13 is a top view of the battery tray shown in FIG. 11 having thecover removed;

FIG. 14 is a top view of a corner portion of an additional embodiment ofa battery tray having the cover removed;

FIG. 14A is a cross-sectional, upper perspective view of the portion ofthe battery tray shown in FIG. 14 , showing an internal cross member ofthe battery tray in dashed lines;

FIG. 15 is a top view of a corner portion of an additional embodiment ofa battery tray having the cover partially cut away;

FIG. 15A is a cross-sectional, upper perspective view of the portion ofthe battery tray shown in FIG. 15 , showing a cover engaged over a tubcomponent;

FIG. 15B is a top view of a portion of the tub component of FIG. 15shown outside the battery tray and having a notch that allows forfitting the corner portion shown in FIG. 15 ;

FIG. 16 is a top view of an additional embodiment of a battery trayshowing an outline of a vehicle in dashed lines and the battery trayengaged at the rocker rails of the vehicle;

FIG. 17 is an upper perspective view of the battery tray shown in FIG.16 ;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the battery tray shown in FIG. 16 ;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional, lower perspective view of the battery trayshown in FIG. 18 , taken at line XIX-XIX shown in FIG. 18 ;

FIG. 20 is an upper perspective view of the section of the battery trayshown in FIG. 19 , taken from an outer side of the battery tray;

FIG. 21 is an exploded, upper perspective view of the section of thebattery tray shown in FIG. 20 , taken from the outer side of the batterytray;

FIG. 22 is an exploded, upper perspective view of the section of thebattery tray shown in FIG. 19 , taken from an inner side of theillustrated section of the battery tray;

FIG. 23 is an elevation view of the section of the battery tray shown inFIG. 19 , taken from the inner side of the illustrated section of thebattery tray;

FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of a portion the battery tray shown in FIG.23 , taken at the area marked as XXIV in FIG. 23 ;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the cross section of the batterytray shown in FIG. 23 ;

FIG. 26 is an exploded view of the section of the battery tray shown inFIG. 25 ;

FIG. 27 is an upper perspective view of the exploded view of the sectionof the battery tray shown in FIG. 26 ;

FIG. 28 is an exploded, upper perspective view of the section of the tubcomponent and support structure shown in FIG. 19 , taken from an innerside of the illustrated section of the battery tray;

FIG. 29 is an elevation view of the section of the tub component andsupport structure shown in FIG. 19 , taken from an inner side of theillustrated section of the battery tray; and

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional, upper perspective view of an additionalembodiment of a battery tray, showing the cross section taken centrallyalong a length of the battery tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle battery tray 10 may be provided for supporting andprotecting batteries, such as battery packs or modules or the like, foran electric vehicle 12, such as shown in FIG. 1 . The electric vehiclemay be an all-electric or a hybrid electric vehicle or vehicle that isotherwise propelled or operated using stored electricity. The batterytray 10 for housing the batteries may be attached or mounted at or nearthe lower frame or rocker rails of the vehicle 12, so as to locate thecontained batteries or battery modules 14 (FIG. 3 ) generally in acentral location on the vehicle 12, away from probable impact locationsand also in a location that evenly distributes the weight of thebatteries 14 and provides the vehicle with a relatively low center ofgravity. The battery tray 10 may span below the occupant compartment ata lower portion of the vehicle 12, such as shown in FIG. 1 with agenerally thin profile, so as to accommodate various vehicle body typesand designs. The profile or thickness of the battery tray 10 may bedefined between the upper surface 16 and the lower surface 18 of thebattery tray 10. It is contemplated that the battery tray 10 may bedisengaged or detached from the lower portion of the vehicle 12, such asfor replacing or performing maintenance on the battery modules 14 orrelated electrical components.

A battery tray may have various exterior dimensional requirements toaccommodate a vehicle platform or frame design, such that it may bedesirable to maximize the usable volume of the battery containment areawithin the battery tray, while cost effectively maintaining the desiredimpact protection and resistance to water, gases, and debris penetratinginto the sealed environment around the battery modules. The battery tray10 of the present disclosure may provide a tub component 20, such asshown in FIG. 2 , which may line or otherwise define at least a portionof the interior surface or structure of the battery containment area 22that is occupied by the battery modules 14 and other conceivable itemsor components, such as electrical cables, coolant lines, cold plates,other battery cooling components, fire suppression system components, orthe like. The battery tray 10 may also include a support structure 24that is coupled at and supporting the tub component 20, such as a beamor member of a support structure 24 being attached at an exteriorportion of a tub component 20. The tub component 20 may also providestructural support to the battery tray 10, such that a support structure24 or frame may be undersize, lightened, or partially or completelyeliminated to allow the tub component to provide a portion or fractionof the overall desired load support capability of the battery tray 10.The tub component 20 of the battery tray 10 may also be sealed with acover 26 around an upper edge of the tub component 20 to at leastpartially enclose the battery modules 14 in the battery tray 10, asfurther described below.

The tub component 20 of the battery tray 10, such as shown in FIGS. 2-5, may include a floor portion 28 and a perimeter wall portion 30 thatintegrally extends upward around a peripheral edge 32 of the floorportion 28 to border the battery containment area 22. The floor portion28 and the perimeter wall portion 30 may together form a solid anduninterrupted interior surface. The floor portion 28 and the perimeterwall portion 30 may each include sections that are substantially planar,such as the planar panel section 28 a of the floor portion 28 and theplanar longitudinal sections 30 a of perimeter wall portion 30 shown inFIG. 3 . Such planar sections may be generally perpendicular relative toeach other, such that the angular transition between the floor portion28 and the perimeter wall portion 30 may be generally ninety degrees,such as with a sharp corner angle or a curved corner transition 34 asshown in FIG. 5C. It is understood that the shape of the floor andperipheral wall portions and angle of the transition from a floorportion to a perimeter wall portion may vary in additional embodimentsof the battery tray, such as depending on the battery tray design andcapacity. The tub component 20 may be formed with various materials,such as the floor portion 28 and the perimeter wall portion 30 of thetub component being a single integral piece formed from a sheet of thegroup consisting of a sheet molding compound, an aluminum alloy, and asteel alloy.

Referring again to the structural support of the battery tray 10, thetub component 20 may include integral structural features that areformed as a single piece with the tub component, such as to support theweight of the batteries or battery modules and to provide structureconfigured for impact energy management, among other functions. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 3 , the tub component 20 includes cross memberportions 36 that each integrally interconnecting with the floor portion28 and opposing sides of the perimeter wall portion 30. The cross memberportions 36 may span laterally across the battery containment area 22 todivide the battery containment area into separate compartments, such asshown in FIG. 3 . The tub component 20 may thus be configured to directload paths along the cross member portions 30 for transferring lateralimpact forces through the battery containment area 22, while generallylimiting disruption to the battery modules 14 or other electronicequipment supported therein. The cross member portions 36 of the tubcomponent 20 may each extend laterally in parallel alignment with eachother and at a longitudinal spacing from each other that is configuredor sized for the defined compartment to contain at least one batterymodule 14. It is also contemplated that in additional embodiments of thebattery tray that the cross member portions of the tub component mayhave various alternative shapers or configurations, such as extendingthrough the battery containment area in a longitudinal or diagonalorientation relative to the battery tray and vehicle or being separatedat a differently configured spacing.

The interior surface of the tub component 20 may provide or otherwisedefine lower and side interior surfaces of the battery containment area22. Also, the cross member portions 36 may continuously extend upwardfrom the floor portion 28, such that the interior surface of theseparate compartments of the tub component 20 may have generally solidand uninterrupted interior surfaces for having a sealed interior volumeof the batter containment area 22. As shown in FIGS. 3-5 , the crossmember portions 36 of the tub component 20 may also include a forwardwall 38 and a rearward wall 40 that each provide an interior surface ofadjacent compartments of the battery containment area 22. The forwardand rearward wall sections 38, 40 may integrally interconnect with thefloor portion 28 and wall portion 30 to form a solid and uninterruptedinterior surface. Thus, the forward and rearward wall sections 38, 40may sub-divide the battery containment area 22 into the separatecompartments or chambers to provide longitudinal separation betweenbattery modules, such as to prevent cross-contamination of the batterymodules and to insulate the batter modules form each other.

Moreover, the cross member portions 36 may include stiffening features42 that integrally interconnect between the forward and rearward wallsections 38, 40, such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A. Such stiffeningfeatures 42 may integrally extend upward from the floor portion 28 ofthe tub component 20, such that the floor portion 28 of the tubcomponent 20 may extend between the forward and rearward wall sections38, 40 of the cross member portions 36. Also, the stiffening features42, such as shown in FIG. 4 , may integrally extend upward in acontinuous manner along a height of the forward and rearward wallsections 38, 40. The stiffening features 42, such as those shown in FIG.5 , may include an x-shape when viewed from above, such that thestiffening features 42 may extend diagonally between the forward andrearward wall sections 38, 40. However, it is also contemplated that thestiffening features in additional embodiments may include additional oralternative shapes and configurations to provide the desired mass andsupport along the cross member sections. Also, additional embodiments ofthe tub component may include at least one cross member portion thatintegrally interconnects with and extends upward form the floor portion,yet lack a section of the floor portion between the forward and rearwardwall sections of the respective cross member portion.

The tub component may also include other integral features in additionto or in the alternative to integral structural features, such asbattery supports, cold plate supports, and other conceivable integralfeatures that can be used to support or secure the battery modules orother related components in the battery tray. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tub component 20 includes integral battery supports comprisingsupport posts 44 that integrally extend upward from the floor portion 24of the tub component 20 adjacent to and generally parallel with thecross member portions 30. The battery supports 38 may elevate the lowersurface of the battery modules 14 away from the floor portion 24 of thetub component for air circulation and to provide an intrusion distancethat prevents damage to the battery modules 14 from impacts to thebottom or lower surface of the battery tray 10. The battery supports 38may also have a height that is configured to support a cold plate orcooling element 47, such as a thermoelectric component or a liquidcooled component, against or in thermal engagement with the lowersurface of the battery module 14, such as shown in FIG. 8 . The batterysupports in additional embodiments may have various structural designsto support the battery modules or other items. Again, the tub component20 may be formed with various materials, whereby the floor portion 28,the perimeter wall portion 30, the cross member portions 36, the supportposts 44, and other features may be formed as a single integral piecefrom a sheet molding compound or like composite materials. With thesheet molding compound, a resin and composite material may be pressedinto a die to form the desired features of the tub component, such thatthe integral structural features of the tub component may be formed inthe direction of the press, such as in the vertical direction. It isalso contemplated that the tub component may include carbon fibers, suchas at a lower layer of the of the tub insert to provide additionalstiffness and intrusion resistance. Moreover, additional embodiments ofthe tub component may include a polymeric material, such as an injectionmolded plastic, or stamped or formed metal.

The battery modules 14 mounted in the battery tray 10 may have variousconfigurations and designs. As shown in FIG. 3 , the battery module 14may retain a series of battery cells or plates or pouches 54 by securingthe cells or pouches 54 between end castings 56, where a rod 58 mayextend generally horizontally between the end castings 56 of eachbattery module 14 and through the associated cells or pouches 54. Thus,the rods 58 may be fastened at the end castings 56 to retain the cellsor plates or pouches 54 together with the end castings 56 of therespective battery module 14. The illustrated battery modules 14 eachinclude two rods 58 extending through an upper corner portion of the endcastings 56 in general alignment with the lateral span of the crossmember portions 36. Further, the end castings 56 may be secured to thetub component 20 with fasteners 57 that extend vertically to engagecoaxially within the support posts 44, such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5B.The battery compartments separated by the cross member portions 36 ofthe tub component 20 may each contain two battery modules of generallyequal capacity, such as shown in FIG. 5 . However, more or fewer batterymodules may be provided in the battery containment area of the tub, suchas more or fewer modules in each compartment of the tub component. It isalso contemplated that an alternative arrangement and nestingconfiguration may be provided for the battery modules.

With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the perimeter wall portion 30of the tub component 20 may include a flange 46 that protrudes outwardaway from the battery containment area 22 at the opposing sides of theperimeter wall portion 30. Thus, at the opposing sides of the perimeterwall portion 30 of the tub component 20, the flange 46 may engage anupper surface of a longitudinal portion of a support structure 24. Asshown in FIG. 3 , the flange 46 protrudes outward at the upper edge ofthe perimeter wall portion 30 and extends around the entire perimeter ofthe tub component 20. However, it is contemplated that the flange inadditional embodiments may protrude from an alternative verticallocation at the perimeter wall and may be provided at a select portionor portions of the perimeter wall portion so as to provide the desiredengagement with the support structure. The flange 46 may be used toprovide a consistent upper surface for a cover 26 to attach over thebattery containment area 22 of the tub component. As shown in FIG. 5C,the flange 46 of the tub component 20 may include a sealing element,such as a channel or a protrusion 48, disposed around the upper surfaceof the flange 46 to mate with a complementary portion of the cover 26,such as a complementary sealing channel or protrusion. Also, the sealingelement may include a gasket, a sealing adhesive, or like seal toprovide a generally sealed cover connection that prevents gases,liquids, and debris from entering or exiting the battery containmentarea through an upper opening of tub component.

The cover 26 may seal and enclose at least a portion of the batterycontainment area provided in the tub component. As shown in FIG. 3 , thecover 26 include a panel with a stiffening channels 27 that extendlongitudinally along the cover 26. It is also conceivable that the cover26 may be separate panel sections that are adapted for the respectivebattery tray, such as with raised or recessed areas that respectivelyincrease or decrease the effective container volume of the battery tray10. The cover 26 may be attached over the tub component in a manner thatis relatively easy to remove and that maintains the sealed batterycontainment area, such as via bolts or screws or other removablefasteners that may compress a gasket or other sealing member between thecover 26 and the top surface of the peripheral wall portions of the tubcomponent 20. This allows the cover 26 to be removable for accesses thebattery modules 14 or other electric components housed in the batterycontainment area 22 for replacement, maintenance, or inspection or thelike. It is also conceivable that the cover in additional embodimentsmay alternatively have at least a section that is an integral portion ofthe floor of the vehicle occupant cabin, such that the cover panel maybe secured to the upper opening of the battery tray simultaneously withattaching it to the vehicle.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4A, the battery tray 10 may have a support frame orstructure 24 that is attached at an exterior portion of a tub component20, such as to supplement or compliment the structure of the tubcomponent 20. The support structure 24 may include an elongated member,such as a longitudinal section or member 50, such as shown in FIG. 2 ,which is coupled at an exterior side of each of the longitudinalsections 30 a of the perimeter wall portion 30 of the tub component 20.The support structure 24 may also or alternatively include one or morelaterally oriented reinforcement structures, such as a lateral sectionor member 52, such as shown in FIG. 3 . The lateral members 52 mayattached at an end portion of the longitudinal members 50, such as toform a generally rectangular frame as shown in FIG. 3 , which is sizedto engage or attach at the front and rear ends of the perimeter wallportion 30 of the tub component 20. As further shown in FIG. 3 , thelongitudinal and lateral members 50, 52 of the support structure 24 maybe separate members or beams that may be attached together or areseparately attached to the vehicle frame. It is also contemplated thatthe support structure 24 may include one or more integral pieces, suchas a single beam wrapped around the tub component, such as shown in FIG.6 .

The illustrated support structure 24 shown in FIGS. 2-5 may be providedas a rigid metal or composite structure, such as with elongated beamsthat are attached together via welding, adhesive, fasteners, and/orother attachment means. The longitudinal and lateral members 50, 52shown in FIGS. 2-5 are separate metal beams that are attached at endsthereof to form a generally rectangular frame. The members or beams ofthe support structure may have one or more hollow interior areas, suchtwo hollow areas arranged with one disposed over the other, which isalso referred to as a mono-leg beam. With respect to the embodimentshown in FIGS. 3 and 5C, the longitudinal members 50 of the supportstructure 24 may be formed from a metal sheet, such as via roll forming,to provide adjacent, vertically stacked, tubes 51 that include a commoncenter wall disposed in a generally horizontal orientation. In formingthe metal sheet into the longitudinal members, outer portions of themetal sheet that extend from opposing sides of the common center wallare bent generally simultaneously in the same rotational direction toattach respectively at opposing ends of the common center wall. Withfurther reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 5C, an outboardextension beam 53 is attached along an outer surface of the tubular beam51, where the outboard extension beam 53 has a hat or U shape, althoughvarious other shapes are contemplated such as a tube. The outboardextension beam 53 of the longitudinal members 50 may be provided to useas an attachment structure and interface with the vehicle, such as toattach at the rocker rails or similar structure of the vehicle frame.

With respect to the lateral members 52 of the support structure 24 shownin FIGS. 3 and 5B, the lateral members 52 may be formed from a metalsheet, such as via roll forming, to provide a single tubular beam.However, it is contemplated that the lateral members in additionalembodiments may be provided with various alternative beam shapes, suchas a mono-leg beam. The metal sheet or sheets that may form the beams ormembers of the support structure 24 may comprise a high strength steel,such as a cold worked martensitic steel, so as to be configured forabsorbing and generally resisting intrusion from lateral impact forcesto the battery tray 10. However, the support structure may alternativelybe alternatively formed with aluminum, or other metals or materials orcombinations thereof. Thus, it is contemplated that the cross-sectionalshape of additional embodiments of the support structure may be alteredfrom the illustrated embodiment, such as to be formed via pultrusion,extrusion, or the like.

To engage the tub component 20 at or within the support structure 24,the flange 46 of the tub component 20 may engage an upper surface of alongitudinal member 50 of the support structure 24, such that thelongitudinal sections 30 a of the tub component 20 may engage the insidevertical surfaces of the longitudinal members 50 of the supportstructure 24. Also, at least one of the lateral members 52 may beengaged by the flange 46 of the tub component 20, such as the forwardlateral member 52 shown in FIG. 3 . Thus, the cover 26 attachment at theflange 46 of the tub component 20 may allow the flange 46 to besandwiched between the edge portion of the cover and the supportstructure. The tub component 20 may also include a downward facingchannel 60, such as shown in FIG. 5B where a lateral member 52 mayengage the downward facing channel 60 to vertically support the tubcomponent 20. With a section of the support structure engaged with adownward facing channel of the tub component, two of the separatecompartments may be disposed at opposing longitudinal sides of one ofthe engaged portion of the support structure.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-10 , an additional embodiment of the batterytray 110 may also include a support structure 124 that is coupled at andsupporting the tub component 120. The support structure 124 shown inFIG. 6 includes a single support beam 125 that is bent at the corners ofthe tub component 120 to surround the perimeter wall portion 130 (FIG. 8) of the tub component 120. The support beam 125 thus includeslongitudinal sections 150 that couple at exterior sides of each of thelongitudinal sections 150 of the perimeter wall portion 130 of the tubcomponent 120. Also, the support beam 125 includes lateral sections 152that extend from the bent corners of the beam at ends of thelongitudinal members 150.

The longitudinal and lateral sections 150, 152 of the support structure124 shown in FIGS. 6-10 are formed from the same single metal beam 125,which may have one or more hollow interior areas. As shown in FIG. 9 ,the illustrated beam 125 includes two hollow areas arranged with onedisposed over the other in a mono-leg beam configuration roll formedfrom a metal sheet to provide adjacent, vertically stacked, tubes thatinclude a common center wall disposed in a generally horizontalorientation and channel ribs 153 disposed along the outer portions ofeach adjacent tube 151. In forming the metal sheet into the single beam,outer portions of the metal sheet that extend from opposing sides of thecommon center wall may be bent generally simultaneously in the samerotational direction to attach respectively at opposing ends of thecommon center wall. The metal sheet or sheets that may form the beams ormembers of the support structure 124 may comprise a high strength steel,such as a cold worked martensitic steel, so as to be configured forabsorbing and generally resisting intrusion from lateral impact forcesto the battery tray 110.

Although otherwise similar to the embodiment shown in in FIG. 6 , abattery tray 110′ is shown in FIG. 7 having a support structure 124′that does not have the lateral sections 152 or a forward and rearwardportion of the flange 146. As such, the support structure 124′ shown inFIG. 7 includes longitudinal sections or members 150′ that extend alongand are coupled at the exterior surfaces of the longitudinal sections150′ of the perimeter wall portion 130′ of the tub component 120′. Thus,in such an embodiment, the cross member portions 136′ at the front andthe rear of the tub component 120? may provide the forward and rearwardends of the battery tray 110′. Features of the battery tray 110′ thatare similar to the battery tray 110 are not described in detail again,and similar reference numbers are used with the addition of anapostrophe.

To engage the tub component 120 at or within the support structure 124,the flange 146 of the tub component 120 may engage an upper surface ofthe single beam of the support structure 124, such that the perimeterwall portion 130 of the tub component 120 may engage the inside verticalsurfaces of the single beam of the support structure 124. Thus, thecover 126 may attach at the flange 146 of the tub component 120 suchthat the flange 146 may be sandwiched between the edge portion of thecover 126 and the support structure 124.

The tub component 120 of the battery tray 110 shown in FIGS. 6-10includes a floor portion 128 and a perimeter wall portion 130 thatintegrally extends upward around a peripheral edge 132 of the floorportion 128 to border the battery containment area 122. The floorportion 128 and the perimeter wall portion 130 may together form a solidand uninterrupted interior surface. The floor portion 128 and theperimeter wall portion 130 may each include sections that aresubstantially planar, as shown in FIG. 8 . Such planar sections may begenerally perpendicular relative to each other, such that the angulartransition between the floor portion 28 and the perimeter wall portion30 may be generally ninety degrees, such as with a curved cornertransition 134 as shown in FIG. 9 .

The tub component 120 also provides structural support to the batterytray 110, such that the support structure 124 or frame may be undersize,lightened, or partially or completely eliminated to allow the tubcomponent to provide a portion or fraction of the overall desired loadsupport capability of the battery tray 110. The tub component 120 shownin FIGS. 6-10 includes integral structural features that are formed as asingle piece with the tub component. As shown in FIG. 8 , the tubcomponent 120 includes cross member portions 136 that each integrallyinterconnecting with the floor portion 128 and opposing sides of theperimeter wall portion 130. The cross member portions 136 span laterallyacross the battery containment area 122 to divide the batterycontainment area into separate compartments, such as shown in FIG. 10 .The cross member portions 136 may extend upward at a height that issubstantially equal to the perimeter wall portion 130, such that theseparate compartments of the battery containment area 122 may beisolated from each other, such as to provide prevent cross-contaminationof the battery modules and to insulate the batter modules form eachother. The cross member portions 136 of the tub component 120 eachextend laterally in parallel alignment with each other and at alongitudinal spacing from each other that is configured or sized for thedefined compartment to contain at least one battery module 114.

As shown in FIGS. 6-10 , the cross member portions 136 of the tubcomponent 120 each include a forward wall 138 and a rearward wall 140that each provide an interior surface of adjacent compartments of thebattery containment area 122. The forward and rearward wall sections138, 140 integrally interconnect with the floor portion 128 and wallportion 130 to form a solid and uninterrupted interior surface. Thecross member portions 136 also include stiffening features 142 thatintegrally interconnect between the forward and rearward wall sections138, 140 and that integrally extend upward from the floor portion 128 ofthe tub component 120. The stiffening features 142 shown in FIG. 10include an x-shape when viewed from above, such that the stiffeningfeatures 142 have a generally consistent cross sectional shape along thevertical extent of the cross member portions 136.

With further reference to the tub component 120 shown in FIGS. 6-10 ,integral battery supports 144 are provided that integrally extend upwardfrom the floor portion 128 of the tub component 120 adjacent to andgenerally parallel with the cross member portions 130. Also, cold platesupports 145 integrally extend upward from the floor portion 128 of thetub component 120 adjacent to and parallel with the battery supports138. Similar to the structural design of the cross member portions 136,the battery supports 144 and cold plate supports 145 each have forwardand rearward wall sections that extend upward from the floor in parallelalignment with each other and the forward and rearward wall sections138, 140 of the cross member portions 136. Further, the battery supports144 and cold plate supports 145 include stiffening features thatintegrally interconnect between the forward and rearward wall sectionsof the respective battery support and cold plate support in an x-shapedconfiguration. As shown in FIG. 9 , the cold plate supports 145 have aheight that is configured to place a cold plate or cooling element 147,such as a thermoelectric component or a liquid cooled component, againstor in thermal engagement with the lower surface of the battery module114.

The floor portion 128, the perimeter wall portion 130, the cross memberportions 136, the battery supports 144, and the cold plate supports 145of the tub component 120 shown in FIGS. 6-10 may be formed as a singleintegral piece from a sheet molding compound or like compositematerials. With the sheet molding compound, a resin and compositematerial may be pressed into a die to form the desired features of thetub component, such that the integral structural features of the tubcomponent may be formed in the direction of the press, such as in thevertical direction. It is also contemplated that the tub component mayinclude carbon fibers, such as at a lower layer of the of the tub insertto provide additional stiffness and intrusion resistance. The tubcomponent 120 may provide the battery containment area 122 with aninterior surface that is sealed and resistant to leaks or penetration ofgases or liquids, so to protect the batteries or battery modules 114supported in the tub component 120. Features of the battery tray 110that are similar to the battery tray 10 are not described in detailagain, and similar reference numbers are used, incremented by 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 11-13 , an additional embodiment of the batterytray 210 may include a tub component 220 that is configured withintegrate structural features to support the contained battery moduleswithout structure 124 without a separate support structure to hold orreinforce any portion of the tub component 220. As such the battery tray210 may be provided with a tub component 220 that does not include anysupplemental base frame, such that the tub component 220 provides thestructural integrity necessary to independently support and protect thecontained batteries. The tub component 220 shown in FIGS. 11-13 includesa floor portion 228 and a perimeter wall portion 230 that integrallyextends upward around a peripheral edge 232 of the floor portion 228.The tub component 220 has cross member portions 236 that integrallyinterconnect with the floor portion 228 and opposing sides of theperimeter wall portion 230. To provide the desired supportive andprotective structural features of a battery tray, the perimeter wallportion 230, like the cross member portions 236, may include an interiorwall section 262, an exterior wall section 264, and stiffening features266 that integrally interconnect between the interior and exterior wallsections 262, 264. To secure the tub component 220 to the vehicle frame,the perimeter wall portion 230 may also include an attachment featurefor mounting the tub component to a frame portion, such as for fasteningto the rocker rails or the like. The tub component 220 may furtherinclude alternative or additional integral structural features that areformed as a single piece with the tub component, such as to support theweight of the batteries or battery modules and to provide structureconfigured for impact energy management, among other functions. Featuresof the battery tray 210 that are similar to the battery tray 10 are notdescribed in detail again, and similar reference numbers are used,incremented by 200.

It is also conceivable that the stiffening features, such as those thatextend between wall sections of the cross member portions or perimeterwall portion, may not have a section of the floor portion extendingbetween the wall sections, such that an opening may be provided thatextends vertically through the respective cross member portion orperimeter wall portion. Such a lack of a floor portion and verticalopening may also be provided at a similarly constructed battery supportand cold plate support or other structure that integrally extend upwardfrom the floor portion of the tub component.

Referring now to FIGS. 14 and 14A, a battery tray 310 is provided thathas a support structure 324 that includes a floor panel 366 and aperipheral reinforcement member 368 attached at a peripheral edgeportion of the floor panel 366. The support structure 324 also includesan outboard extension beam 353 is attached along an outer surface of theperipheral reinforcement member 368, where the outboard extension beam353 has a tubular shape. The outboard extension beam 353 may be providedto use as an attachment structure and interface with the vehicle, suchas to attach at the rocker rails or similar structure of the vehicleframe. The tub component 320 shown in FIGS. 14 and 14A has a perimeterwall portion 330 configured to engage an interior surface of theperipheral reinforcement member 368 at a seam interface 370 between thefloor panel 366 and the peripheral reinforcement member 368 to seal theseam interface 370 and at least partially border the battery containmentarea 322. The seal of the seam interface 370 may be provided by anadhesive 372 that is disposed between the tub component 320 and thesupport structure 324.

The tub component 320 also has a flange 346 that extends outward fromthe perimeter wall portion 330 and away from the battery containmentarea 322. The flange 346 engages an upper surface of the peripheralreinforcement member 368 to provide an interfacing surface for attachinga cover of the battery tray 310. The tub component also has a lowerflange 374 that extends inward from the lower edge of the perimeter wallportion 330 and toward the battery containment area 322. The lowerflange 374 engages along the floor panel 366 of the support structure324 so as to similarly seal the seam interface 370. As shown in FIG.14A, the upper and lower flanges 346, 374 of the tub component 320 aregenerally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to theperimeter wall portion 330. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 14 , the lowerflange 374 of the tub component 320 includes an inside edge 376 thatsurrounds a central opening of the tub component 320 that exposes thefloor panel 366 of the support structure 324 in the battery containmentarea 322. Features of the battery tray 310 that are similar to thebattery tray 10 are not described in detail again, and similar referencenumbers are used, incremented by 300.

Referring now to FIGS. 15-15B, a battery tray 410 is provided that hassupport structure 424 that includes a floor panel 466 and a peripheralreinforcement member 468 attached at a peripheral edge portion of thefloor panel 466 to at least partially border the battery containmentarea 422. The tub component 420 has a perimeter wall portion 430configured to engage an interior surface of the peripheral reinforcementmember 468 and extend upward from the lower seam interface 470 betweenthe floor panel 466 and the peripheral reinforcement member 468. Theperimeter wall portion 430 may extend upward beyond the height of theperipheral reinforcement member 468, such as shown in FIG. 15A, so as toprovide a protrusion for engaging the cover 426 of the battery tray 410.The sealing provided by the tub component includes an adhesive 472 thatis disposed between the tub component 420 and the support structure 424.In this embodiment, the tub component 420 may be installed on thesupport structure by applying the perimeter wall portion 430 at theinterior surface of the support structure 424, such as by unrolling itfrom a spool. To bend the tub component 420 at interior corners of thesupport structure 424, a notch 478 may be provided to allow the materialto bend, such as shown in FIG. 15B, such as polymeric material or thelike. Features of the battery tray 410 that are similar to the batterytray 10 are not described in detail again, and similar reference numbersare used, incremented by 400.

Referring now to FIGS. 16-29 , a battery tray 510 includes a supportstructure 524 and a tub component 520 that is disposed in the supportstructure 524 for supporting and containing the battery modules 514. Asshown in FIG. 17 , the illustrated support structure 524 includeslongitudinal sections or members 550 that are configured to extendlongitudinally relative to an associated vehicle 512, such as forattaching at or near the rocker rails 513 via the brackets 519 to securethe battery tray 510 to the vehicle frame and suspend it away from theground surface at an inboard location that does not substantially comeinto a line of sight of a person standing outside of the vehicle 512.The battery containment area 522 of the battery tray 510 is generallybound on four sides by the two longitudinal members 550 that attach ator near the opposing rocker rails 513 and by lateral sections or members552 that each extend laterally between the longitudinal members 550 atthe front and rear end portions of the battery tray 510. As shown inFIG. 21 , the support structure 524 also includes cross members 580 thatattach at and span laterally between the longitudinal members 550, so asto span across and sub-divide the battery containment area 522 intoseparate battery compartments.

The tub component 520 shown in FIGS. 19-29 includes a floor portion 528and a perimeter wall portion 530 that integrally extends upward from aperipheral edge 532 of the floor portion 528. The tub component 520 alsoincludes cross member portions 536 that each integrally interconnectingwith the floor portion 528 and opposing sides of the perimeter wallportion 530, such that the cross member portions 536 span laterallyacross the battery containment area 522 to divide the batterycontainment area 522 into separate compartments 582 for containing thebattery modules, such as shown in FIG. 23 . The cross member portions536 of the tub component 520 may include a forward wall 538 and arearward wall 540, such as shown in FIG. 24 , which each provide aninterior surface of adjacent compartments of the battery containmentarea 522.

As shown in FIG. 19 , the tub component 520 is inserted or disposed inthe support structure 524 with the containment portions 582 interposedbetween the cross members 580 in the battery containment area 522. Thecontainment portions 582 may each include a perimeter wall thatcomprises a section of the perimeter wall portion 530 and the wallsections 538, 540 of the cross member portions 536, where such perimeterwall integrally connects around a perimeter of a section of the floorportion 528, so as to form a tub-like shape that defines a containervolume of each containment portion 582. The containment portions 582each have a lateral dimension that generally extends between the lateralboundaries of the inside surfaces of the perimeter wall portion 530 thatextends upright and engages along the inside surface of the longitudinalmembers 550. Further, the longitudinal dimension of each containmentportion 582 generally extends between adjacent cross members portions580, such as shown in FIG. 24 .

As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 , the floor portion 528 of the containmentportions 582 of the tub component 520 may disposed at and at leastpartially resting on a portion of the support structure 524, such as afloor panel 584 of the support structure 524. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the floor panel 584 may have a plate-like shape that spans below thecross members 580 and attaches at the longitudinal members 550.Alternatively, the floor member in additional embodiments may attach atthe cross members or be integrally formed therewith, so as to provide asimilar floor structure to support the lower portion of the tub insert.A seal may optionally be provided between the floor panel 584 and thecross members 580 and the longitudinal members 550, such as with agasket, sealing agent, or other sealing material, such as an epoxy orsilicone sealant or the like. Optionally, a sealing agent or sealingmaterial, such as an epoxy or silicone sealant or the like, may beprovided at interface seams or along the longitudinal members 550 orother components within the battery containment area to reinforce theseal along the inside wall surface of the longitudinal members 550. Sucha seal at the support structure 524 may be a secondary or backup seal tothe containment provided by the sealed tub component 520 that containsthe battery modules and related components. However, it is understoodthat such sealed battery containment areas or portions may be vented foraccommodating battery swelling or contraction, such as at a ventedopening that is difficult for water or liquid or debris to enter, suchas by locating the vented opening at an upper portion or interiorportion of the battery tray or by providing the vented opening with amembrane or fabric cover that is air permeable and liquid impermeable toprovide the desired liquid sealed environment for storing the batteriesor electrical equipment or other vehicle-related item in the batterytray.

The floor panel 584 of the support structure 524 may also includeintegrally formed or separately attached stiffening ribs or channels,such as the stiffening strips 586 attached at and extendinglongitudinally along the bottom surface of the floor panel 584, such asshown in FIGS. 26 and 27 . Similarly, the floor portion 528 of thecontainment portions 582 of the tub component 520 may optionally beformed with raised portions or depressions or channels or ribs or thelike, such as to provide a corrugated shape as shown in FIGS. 22-24 ,where the raised portions provide corrugated ribs extending laterallyacross the tub component 520. These laterally extending corrugated ribshave a shape that can provide stiffness and bending strength to thefloor portion 528 of the tub component 520. Also, as further illustratedin FIG. 24 , the raised portions that provide the corrugated ribs may beintermittent or undulate to provide corresponding depressed portionsthat may contact the floor panel 584, so as to space the batteryinterfacing portion of the floor portion 528 away from the floor panel584. Thus, the corrugated ribs may provide additional intrusion area orspacing between the floor panel 584 from the battery modules, which mayconceivably rest or mount at or near the raised portions of the floorportion.

The cross member portions 580 of the tub component 520 may also includeupper reinforcements 588 that interconnect upper sections of the wallsections 538, 540 of the cross member portions 536, such that each upperreinforcement 588 extends over one of the cross members 580 of thesupport structure. As such, the cross member portions 580 of the tubcomponent 520 cover the exposed upper surfaces of the cross members 580.The upper reinforcement 588 integrally connect two adjacent containmentportions on opposing sides of a cross member 580, where the upperreinforcement 588 extends from upper edges of the wall section 538, 540to from an inverted U shape, such as shown in FIG. 24 . The As furtherillustrated in FIG. 10 , may also rest on and engage an upper surface ofa respective cross member 580 to vertically support the tub component520. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 27 and 28 , the longitudinal ends ofthe tub component 520 may include a flange portion 546 that extends froma least a section of an upper periphery of the tub component 520. Theflange portion 546 rests on a corresponding peripheral portion of thesupport structure 524 and may define an upper rim surface of the tubcomponent 520, so as to engage a cover.

The tub component, or portions thereof, may provide structural supportto the battery tray, such that the support structure may be undersize orlightened to allow the tub insert to provide a portion or fraction ofthe overall desired load support capability of the battery tray. Suchadditional structural support may be increased when bonding or fusingportions of the tub component to the support structure, so as tolocalize the increased structural support. For example, an adhesive orepoxy or the like may be provided along the cross members 580 forbonding to the upper reinforcements 588 of the tub component and thusimproving the stiffness of the cross members for reducing sidedeformation to the battery tray from side vehicle impact.

It is contemplated that the components of the support structure may bealternatively configured from the illustrated embodiment and may beattached, such as via welding, fasteners and/or adhesive or the like, ormay otherwise be partially or completely formed together, as furtherdiscussed herein. As shown in FIG. 28 , the lateral members 552 areformed with a generally consistent rectangular shaped cross section witha fixed height that respectively defines the height of the front andrear portions or walls of the battery containment area. The longitudinalmembers 550 are formed to provide a height that is substantiallyidentical to the fixed height of the lateral members 552, such thatthere is generally a constant height about the peripheral walls of thebattery containment area 522. This consistent peripheral wall heightprovides even or generally flush top and bottom surfaces of theperipheral walls for attaching the cover 526 at the top surfaces and thefloor panel 584 at the bottom surfaces, which may together seal theupper and lower portions of the battery containment area 522. Thegenerally flush top surface provided by the consistent peripheral wallheight may also allow an upper peripheral flange that extends from oneembodiment of the tub insert to engage around the top surface of theperipheral wall of the base frame, such that a cover panel can attach atthe upper peripheral flange, such as to sandwich the upper peripheralflange between the base frame and the cover panel and thereby seal theupper peripheral edge of the battery tray. Similarly, the cross members580 may be formed to have a height substantially equal to the height ofthe peripheral walls, which may also be used to provide a seal at thecover panel around the individual battery compartments. Features of thebattery tray 510 that are similar to the battery tray 10 are notdescribed in detail again, and similar reference numbers are used,incremented by 500.

In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 30 , a battery tray 610 isprovided that has a support structure 624 that includes cross members680 that span laterally between longitudinal sections or member 650 toform a ladder-like base frame structure that is generally without crossmembers or lateral members at the ends of the support structure 624. Tocorrespond with this structure, the tub component 620 has recessesprotruding upward into the cross member portions 636 of the tubcomponent 620 to mate with and over the cross members 680 of the supportstructure 624. A flange 646 of the tub component 620 is configured toengage an upper surface of the longitudinal members 650. Features of thebattery tray 610 that are similar to the battery tray 10 are notdescribed in detail again, and similar reference numbers are used,incremented by 600.

Several different attachment techniques and configurations may be usedto permanently or releasable secure the battery support structure to avehicle frame, such as below a floor of the vehicle and generallybetween the axles. Further, with respect to the general installation orattachment or formation, the steps discussed herein may be performed invarious different sequences from those discussed to result in engaging,disengaging, or forming the battery support structure or componentsthereof.

For purposes of this disclosure, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,”“left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivativesthereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1 . However,it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternativeorientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It isalso to be understood that the specific devices and processesillustrated in the attached drawings, and described in thisspecification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive conceptsdefined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and otherphysical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed hereinare not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly stateotherwise.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw. The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and itis to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intendedto be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possiblein light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practicedotherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery tray for an electric vehicle, thebattery tray comprising: a tub component having a floor portion and aperimeter wall portion extending from the floor portion to border abattery containment area of the tub component, the floor portion and theperimeter wall portion integrally formed together as a single integralpiece; and a support structure coupled at an exterior side of theperimeter wall portion of the tub component and extending along anentire length of the exterior side.
 2. The battery tray of claim 1,wherein the tub component comprises at least one cross member portionthat integrally interconnects with the floor portion and the perimeterwall portion so as to span laterally across the battery containment areato divide the battery containment area into separate compartments. 3.The battery tray of claim 2, wherein the at least one cross memberportion includes a forward wall and a rearward wall that each provide aninterior surface of adjacent compartments of the battery containmentarea.
 4. The battery tray of claim 3, wherein the support structureincludes secondary cross members that span laterally.
 5. The batterytray of claim 4, wherein the tub component defines recesses between theforward wall and the rearward wall protruding upward into the crossmember portions of the tub component to mate with and over the secondarycross members of the support structure.
 6. The battery tray of claim 1,further comprising a cover attached over the battery containment area ofthe tub component, wherein the cover defines at least one stiffeningchannel.
 7. The battery tray of claim 1, wherein the support structurecomprises an elongated member coupled at the exterior side of theperimeter wall portion.
 8. The battery tray of claim 7, wherein theelongated member of the support structure comprises a metal beam havinga tubular shape with at least one hollow opening.
 9. A battery tray foran electric vehicle, the battery tray comprising: a tub component havinga floor portion and a perimeter wall portion extending from the floorportion to border a battery containment area of the tub component,wherein the floor portion and the perimeter wall portion are integrallyformed together as a single integral piece, and wherein the singleintegral piece comprises a sheet molding compound; and a supportstructure coupled at an exterior side of the perimeter wall portion ofthe tub component and extending along an entire length of the exteriorside.
 10. The battery tray of claim 9, wherein the support structurecomprises an elongated member having a tubular shape.
 11. The batterytray of claim 9, wherein the tub component comprises at least one crossmember portion that integrally interconnects with the floor portion andthe perimeter wall portion so as to span laterally across the batterycontainment area to divide the battery containment area into separatecompartments.
 12. The battery tray of claim 11, wherein the at least onecross member portion includes a forward wall and a rearward wall thateach provide an interior surface of adjacent compartments of the batterycontainment area.
 13. The battery tray of claim 12, wherein the supportstructure includes secondary cross members that span laterally.
 14. Thebattery tray of claim 13, wherein the tub component defines recessesbetween the forward wall and the rearward wall protruding upward intothe cross member portions of the tub component to mate with and over thesecondary cross members of the support structure.
 15. The battery trayof claim 9, further comprising a cover attached over the batterycontainment area of the tub component, and wherein the cover defines atleast one stiffening channel.
 16. A battery tray for an electricvehicle, the battery tray comprising: a tub component having a floorportion and a perimeter wall portion extending from the floor portion toborder a battery containment area of the tub component; and a supportstructure coupled at an exterior side of the perimeter wall portion ofthe tub component and extending along an entire length of the exteriorside, wherein the tub component further comprises at least one crossmember portion that interconnects with the floor portion and theperimeter wall portion so as to span laterally across the batterycontainment area to divide the battery containment area into separatecompartments, and wherein the floor portion, the perimeter wall portion,and the at least one cross member portion are integrally formed togetheras a single integral piece.
 17. The battery tray of claim 16, whereinthe support structure comprises an elongated member coupled at theexterior side of the perimeter wall portion.
 18. The battery tray ofclaim 17, wherein the elongated member of the support structurecomprises a metal beam having a tubular shape with at least one hollowopening.
 19. The battery tray of claim 16, further comprising a coverattached over the battery containment area of the tub component.
 20. Thebattery tray of claim 19, wherein the cover defines at least onestiffening channel.